New Plantings at the Ferguson Township Municipal Building Help Prevent Flooding & Pollution

If you have driven down Whitehall Road recently, you may have noticed that the Ferguson Township Municipal Building has some new vegetation on its property. While it may look like unkept grass with weeds from afar, up close, it is an intentional ecosystem that has a positive environmental impact on both stormwater and our native wildlife.

Known as bioswales, these channels are built into the ground to transport stormwater runoff and have the secondary purpose of removing debris and pollution. Here at the Ferguson Township offices, our bioswale begins near the new Public Works building on Research Drive and runs down Whitehall Road, ending in the southeast corner of the site. 

There are two seed mixes that have been planted in the swale. On the banks of the bioswale is a mix of perennial wildflowers that will bloom beautifully throughout the spring and fall. Our neighborhood pollinators such as bees, butterflies and hummingbirds favor this meadowy mix.

To get an idea of what this meadow mix along Whitehall Road will look like soon, look no further than the bank of the new storm basin near our salt shed where that same mixture was planted a year earlier: golden-yellow Blackeyed Susans and indigo Ohio Spiderworts really blossom on the bank of our basin.

On the bottom of the channel is a mix of native grasses, sedges, and rushes that are ideal for stormwater management. These plants help absorb excess stormwater, recharge the groundwater, and prevent erosion.

“The landscaping is still a work in progress” states David Modricker, Public Works Director. “Both these mixes are currently being curated by our public works crew to get rid of any invasive species and weeds. Grow signs will be installed in these areas later this year.”

Do you want to learn more about our wonderful plant mixes? You can check out what is in the flower mix here and the grass mix here.